News: Mats Zuccarello signs FOUR-YEAR extension with the Rangers

6:38PM: Zuccarello spoke with John Giannone and said, "It?s what I wanted all all along and this is my home and my teammates and I want to be able to try and win here. This is where I want to be and really happy.?

Glen Sather said on Monday, "I like everything about him, his tenacity, hard work, how he sees the ice, the chemistry he brings to our team and the way he is in the room. He has been a terrific player for us."

The numbers behind the contract issues that have the Rangers shopping Mats Zuccarello

3/1/15 | 10:27PM:?Elliotte Friedman said tonight, "Contract talks have gone nowhere between him and the Rangers, it?s believed that the Rangers final offer was around Max Pacioretty?s contract, six years and an average of $4.5. The Rangers are not allowing any teams to speak with him beforehand.?(Sportsnet)

2/28/15 | 1:45PM: The Rangers are believed to have offered Mats Zuccarello a five or six-year deal with a cap hit of $4.5 million while Zuccarello is searching for between $5 million and $5.5 million on a new contract. (NY Post)?

BUZZ: Teams have been told that Mats Zuccarello is available

12:32PM:?Alain Vigneault said that it's been his experience that Glen Sather won't hesitate to make a move. He adds that he is a big fan of Zucc and hopes that both sides can work out a deal. (Steve Zipay)?

There are now rumblings about the Rangers moving Mats Zuccarello

2/25/15 | 10:37AM: There are rumblings that the Rangers may consider trading Mats Zuccarello to see what they can get for him and then possibly flip the return for Zuccarello into something else. (30 Thoughts)

Elliotte Friedman says that he can't prove or disprove these rumblings but they are out there.

He adds that the "simple" thing for the Rangers to do is to keep him for a playoff run and take their chances re-signing him later.

2/18/15 | 7:05PM: Zuccarello's Newport Sports agents are in NYC today and while there is nothing formal going on "contract talks need to get moving." (Darren Dreger)

2/16/15 | 7:13PM: Darren Dreger said on TSN, "There is a tough ongoing negotiation with Newport Sports. They love Mats Zuccarello, Alain Vigneault wants to keep him. We might describe him as an ?own rental? but even that isn?t appropriate given the fact that they want to keep him long-term. there is a lot of heavy lifting ahead, he won?t be traded."

Poll: What would you like to see the Rangers do with Mats Zuccarello?

2/4/15 | 8:45PM:"The Rangers are interested in signing him and he is interested in signing back with the Rangers but it gets a little complicated. There is a cap crunch coming, will it go up, could it shrink. They need to sign Derek Stepan to a huge raise, Carl Hagelin same thing, JT Miller and John Moore to a lesser degree. Now you have Marty St. Louis, UFA, and Zuccarello, UFA. The Rangers have reached out to Zuccarello and said that they are interested in trying to do something. The question is how much money and term, especially when they don't know the cap. There haven't been substantive talks to this time but those things will happen and we will see if they can find a way to get it done. It may be a situation where the Rangers say, this is all we got and it won't be much of a negotiation, we will give you this year and this money if you want to stay." (Bob McKenzie on NBCSN)

1/31/15 | 8PM: Zuccarello said that he wants to stay with the Rangers but if they don't have cap space for him there is nothing he can do. He says that he understands this is part of the business. (NY Post)

Larry Brooks says that the Rangers have made no progress towards an extension with Zuccarello. (NY Post)

1/13/15 | 5:56PM: Zuccarello said again that he knows he will be in the NHL next season and hopes that it will be with the Rangers. (TV2)?

Read: A new contract has been on Mats Zuccarello's mind (Updates)

12/30/14 | 3:48PM: Zuccarello's agent says that he has nothing new to report on the talks. (Daily News)

12/30/14 | 12:04PM: Elliotte Friedman lists Zuccarello's situation as one of the ones to keep an eye on and says that the Rangers are tight to the salary cap and the team has many important decisions to make. (Sportsnet)

12/17/14 | 3:44PM: Zuccarello said that a new contract may have been on his mind to start the season but he isn't thinking about it now. He said that it's out of his control and the only thing he can control is playing better and helping the team win. (Daily News)

Read: Mats Zuccarello on his game and playing with Rick Nash

12:19PM: Talks with Zuccarello are quiet now but things should pick up after Jan 1, which could be after the Rangers know about the salary cap and the future of Marty St. Louis and Marc Staal. (ESPN Insider)

Craig Custance says that negotiations last year between the Rangers and Zuccarello were positive. (ESPN Insider)

10:07AM: Mats Zuccarello has three goals and six assists this season in 18 games.

Read: Mats Zuccarello on his contract/slow starts

Mats Zuccarello says that it's hard for him not to think about his future as an impending UFA. He said that it enters his mind sometimes at night but it's not something that he brings to the rink with him. (NY Post)

He says that he barely talks to his agent and the talks are not something that he can control. He said that all he can do is play hard and that is where his focus is. (NY Post)

Talks between the Rangers and Zuccarello have been "limited" according to Larry Brooks. (NY Post)

Zuccarello did say that the contract talks are not the reason for his slow start and that he just happens to be a slow starter. He said it takes some time for him to get comfortable and he may put too much pressure on himself/try to do too much. (NY Post)

He is looking at the "biggest good year vs bad year" contract differential of any of? the Rangers UFAs. They write that Zuccarello will be able to sign for a lot of zeros if he puts up 70 points but that won't be the case if he gets "15 points in 25 games and then gets hurt." (Dobber Hockey)

Read: Mats Zuccarello on Derick Brassard getting a long-term deal after he got a short-term deal

Mats Zuccarello was asked if he felt "unappreciated" by the Rangers after he signed for one-year and the Rangers gave Derick Brassard five-years.(TV2)

Zuccarello said that he knew Brassard was going to get that contract, that the two speak everyday, and that Zuccarello taking one-year and $3.5 million probably helped Brassard get his deal from the Rangers. (TV2)

He adds that with losing Brad Richards it was important for the Rangers to keep Brassard. (TV2)

Read: Mats Zuccarello feels comfortable with the Rangers/thinks he is next for a long-term deal

8/13/14 | 10:22AM: Mats Zuccarello says that he feels he has become part of the Rangers "core" and that has allowed him to feel "slightly" more comfortable heading into this season. He adds that he feels a responsibility to be one of the Rangers leaders. (TV2)

He said that the Rangers "probably" would have given him a longer-term contract if not for the salary cap and that he can sign a new deal during the season or wait until after the year to become a free agent and sign anywhere. He said that he will control the position he will be in, whether teams will want him or not, based on how he plays this season. (TV2)

Zuccarello "claims" that there is an "agreement" between he and the organization that he will be the next player to get a long-term deal after he "sacrificed" that this summer to sign a one-year deal and help the team's salary cap situation. (TV2)

Buzz: Mats Zuccarello on his future and a potential long-term deal

7/30/14 | 11:56AM: Mats Zuccarello said that he would taken a long-term contract from the Rangers if it was on the terms that he wanted but right now it's best to just go with a one-year deal. (VG)

Zuccarello said that the one-year deal had been done for a while but it was good to finally get it on paper. He adds, "I am happy" with the deal. (VG)

He adds that he has gotten indications from the Rangers that they are interested in a long-term deal but now it's up to him to decide what will happen since he can be a free agent after the season. (VG)

Read: Mats Zuccarello on signing a one-year deal

Zuccarello said shortly after that it was "brilliant" to sign for one-year and worked out for both sides right now. Zuccarello also said that he was happy to avoid arbitration for the second straight summer.

He added that with the Rangers cap situation where it is, it was best to sign for one year. He adds that it makes him a free agent next summer but he is happy to be with the Rangers and feels that it's "my club." (VG)

Read: What Mats Zuccarello's next contract could be

7/17/14 | 10:31AM: The Rangers are still in the process of negotiating a long-term deal with Mats Zuccarello that would see him stay with the team through his first few years of potential unrestricted free agency. (NY Post)

The process of locking up Zuccarello and preventing him from becoming a free agent could result in a higher cap hit for the player because of what he could potentially get on the open market next summer. A one-year deal through arbitration would result in a lower cap hit for the Rangers but possibly preclude them from a potential long-term deal with Zuccarello.? (NY Post)

Buzz: What Mats Zuccarello is reportedly looking for (Updates)

7/2/14 | 7:13AM: Zuccarello's agent said that he and Jeff Gorton had good talks at the draft and that he and his client know that the Rangers are in a cap squeeze and need to find a deal that works for both sides. (Daily News)

7/2/14 | 8:45AM: Mats Zuccarello is apparently searching for a four-year deal worth between $4 million and $5 million per season. (VG)

Buzz: Mats Zuccarello wants a four-year deal (Update: More comments)

7/1/14 | 6:25AM: Zuccarello wants a 3-4 year contract (Nettavisen) and to be rewarded for his strong play as well as give him some "peace of mind" more than just a big salary. (TV2)

He says that he doesn't want to take all the money and that it's just as important to play on a "powerful" team. (TV2)

Zuccarello said that he thinks it's more likely that he and Derick Brassard return because they are RFAs while Benoit Pouliot is a UFA. He said that he hopes all three come back, especially after the Rangers made it clear that they were one of the better lines this season. (Nettavisen)

Buzz: Mats Zuccarello's agent on Zuccarello's next contract

6/17/14 | 7:27AM: Zuccarello said that switching teams is not something that he wants to do and he hopes a deal with the Rangers can be found. (TV2)

6/16/14 | 4:50PM: Alain Vigneault said today, "I definitely want Mats to be a training camp next year so I want his contract issues taken care of. He was a big part of our team and got off to a slow start but once he found some chemistry with his teammates he became a big part of our offensive forwards. He is a good young man with good instincts and if he continues to progress he should be a good player for us." (Rangers)

2:15PM: Mats Zuccarello's agent Erik Ryman spoke with VG about Zuccarello's new contract and said that Zuccarello will receive a salary based on his market value. (VG)

Buzz: Mats Zuccarello's Current Situation

According to an interview that Mats Zuccarello gave earlier this week in Norway, Mats Zuccarello says that there has been interest from other teams about him but that he is only focusing on being a Ranger.

Zuccarello said that he isn't stressing over the situation and gets asked all the time if he will return to the Rangers or play somewhere else.

Buzz: Where Mats Zuccarello's Cap Hit Could Be

Mats Zuccarello's agent told VG, a newspaper in Norway, that while nothing has been signed or done yet, he anticipates a new contract for Zuccarello in the near future.

Zuccarello said that he thinks he will get a longer-term deal than the qualifying offer the team sent him earlier in the week, which retains his rights and prevents him from becoming an unrestricted free agent, and has faith that a deal will get done to keep him with the Rangers.

Larry Brooks writes in the NY Post that the Rangers have Zuccarello's contract slotted in the area of $1.25 million.

Read: Two Sets of Predictions On What RFAs Will Get This Summer

In the NY Post, Larry Brooks predicts what the Rangers RFAs will sign for this summer.

Ryan McDonagh: 4/5 years with a cap hit of $4.5/$5 million per

Derek Stepan: 4/5 years with a cap hit of $4 million per

Carl Hagelin: 2/3 years with a cap hit between $1.75 million and $2.5 million

Mats Zuccarello: 2 years at $1.5 million

Brooks notes that if the Rangers don't amnesty Brad Richards, and these are around the salaries that they sign their RFAs for, the team will end up bringing back pretty much the same group of forwards.